Wire tie down assembly



March 1967 R. A. ANDERSON WIRE TIE DOWN ASSEMBLY Filed July 27, 1965 lnvenlor Rog AJlnd arson United States Patent 3,307,811 WIRE TIE DOWN ASSEMBLY Roy A. Anderson, 6939 43rd Ave., Kenosha, Wis. 51140 Filed July 27, 1965, Ser. No. 475,159 14 Claims. (Cl. 248-43) This invention relates to an assembly for fastening a Wire to a shingled roof in a leakproof manner. More particularly, this invention is concerned with a device for receiving a television standoff rod and which can be nailed beneath a shingle.

There is not presently available a device for attaching a television wire standoff rod to a shingled roof so that no leakage will occur. In some instances, standoff rods are screwed into and through shingles causing subsequent leakage even though precautions are taken, such as tarring around the rod adjacent its jointure with the roof. This is to be expected because of the instability of the rod-like standoff member. A solution to this apparent problem might be in providing a plate member into which the rod-like standoff could be screwed and the plate member nailed into the shingle. Such a procedure might be suggested by Gilfry in US. 2,735,639. However, any time a nail is driven through a single, problems arise with respect to water leakage. Further, there is not available a metal plate member for a standoff which will engage such in a secure manner and can be manufactured in a very economical way, as well as used in a time-saving manner.

It is therefore an object of this invention to provide a novel wire tie down and standoff assembly which affords leakproof attachment to a shingled roof. It is another object of the present invention to provide a novel method for manufacturing a wire tie down and standoff assembly whereby it can be made without special tools or equipment. It is still another object of the present invention to provide a novel tie down assembly which can be easily attached to an existing shingled roof without breaking the shingles. These and other objects will be readily appreciated by reference to the detailed description to follow when considered in conjunction with the accompanying drawing wherein:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of the present Wire tie down assembly secured to a singled roof and engaging a television wire standoff rod. This is the fourth and final stage of fabrication.

FIGURE 2 is a view in side elevation of the present assembly in the third stage of development prior to bending the two flange portions upwardly.

FIGURE 3 is a view like FIGURE 2 showing a formed blank for fabricating the present device in the first stage of development.

FIGURE 4 is a view like FIGURE 2 illustrating the second stage of fabrication in the formation of the ring-like frictional engaging means.

Briefly stated, the wire tie down and standoff assembly of this invention is comprised of three flanges, one of which is adapted to fit beneath a shingle and to be nailed through an underlying shingle and to the roof. The second and third flange portions are oppositely disposed with respect to each other and are integral with the first flange. They are movable to plane substantially transverse to said first flange portion and each movable flange portion carries frictional engaging means in a manner to provide complementary junction of the second and 3,307,811 Patented Mar. 7, 1967 third flange portions and to thereby securely hold a rodlike standoff member substantially transverse to a roof.

In the particular embodiment shown in drawing, novel tie down assembly generally 10 comprises a base member 11 with a first flange portion 12 adapted to fit beneath an upper shingle 14 and a lower shingle 15 of roof 16. As shown particularly in FIGURE 1, integral with flange 12 and base 11 but transversely disposed with respect to flange 12 are two second and third flange portions 17 and 18. Frictional engaging means in the form of four ring-like members 20 are formed on flanges 17 and 18 in pairs and in an alternating and complementary manner to provide for junction of flanges 17 and 18 and frictional engagement with the common television rodlike standoff member 22 composed of the usual rod-like shank 23 and a hook-like head 24 carrying a slitted and turnable rubber holding member 25 for ordinary, flat, double-stranded television wire 26.

Assembly 10 is provided with water drainage apertures 30 disposed along the line of junction of flanges 17 and 18 with base 11. As best seen in FIGURES 2-4, the line of junction is a V-shaped preweakened line 31 formed in the substantially flat, plate-like, generally rectangular blank 32 from which assembly 10 is fabricated. Blank 32 is preferably made from standard sheet metal.

The fabrication of assembly 10 is simple and is accomplished by forming flat tongue members 35, such as by die cutting, in a manner such that their base lines form a V-shaped configuration along the edges of flanges 17 and 18. It will be noted that the tongues on flange 17 are spaced in an alternating manner with respect to those on flange 18 and also in transverse axial alignment so that they interfit in a complementary manner when flanges 17 and 18 are moved into a transverse plane with respect to flange 12. Coextensive with the base lines of tongues 35 are V-shaped preweakened lines 31 which serve to form triangular flange portions 17 and 18 and are formed by prebending along the indicated lines. Extending along base 11 and into flange portion 12 are three upwardly disposed strengthening ribs or lugs 37 which are formed by die stamping and which add strength to the assembly. Two holes 40 as well as apertures 30 are also stamped in flange portion 12 to aid in nailing the assembly to roof 16. i

The blank 32 as it is shown in FIGURE 2 will in most instances be in the form made by the manufacturer and supplied to the television installer or roofer, except, of course, it will not as yet be nailed to the roof. One

method of forming rings 20 from tongues 35 for a televi-' sion standoff 22 is to place unthreaded section 23 transversely across tongues 35 in the manner shown in FIG- URE 4 and roll the tongues thereover and around and subsequently pull or unthread threaded section 41 therefrom. As the outside diameter of the threaded section 41 is larger than the unthreaded section 23, rings 20 will be made undersized so as to form ring-like, resilient frictional engaging means for the threaded section 23. When all of the ring-like members are so formed, blank 32 will have the form shown in FIGURE 2. To fasten the device 10 as shown in FIGURE 2 on a, pitched roof, top shingle 14 is raised and held up to permit flange portion 12 to be placed thereunder and two roofing nails 42 are driven through passages 40, bottom shingle 15 and into roof 16. Top shingle 14 is allowed by its natural resiliency to drop to its normal position as shown in FIG- 3 URES 1 and 2 and flange portions 17 and 18 are then bent upwardly along line 31 into a plane transverse to flange portion 12 so that ring-like members 20'are in axial alignment to frictionally receive threaded section 41 of standoff 22 which is screwed therein and held transversely to roof 16.

It will be noted that by having flange portions 17 and 18 lie flat and in the same plane as flange portion 12 and base 11, nailing of flange portion 12 is easily accomplished and tearing of shingle 14 is avoided. This is easily seen in contrast to the problem it would be to nail flange portion 12 when flange portions 17 and 18 are in an upstanding position as shown in FIGURE 1. It should also be noted that no nail is driven through a top shingle.

As previously indicated, device is formed from standard sheet metal which is preferably 26 gauge. It is cut or die stamped into a generally rectangular blank 32 measuring approximately 4 /2 inches in length by 2% inches in width. Any size blank, of course, is operable and the same is true of tongues 35 which preferably measure five-eighths inch in length by inch .in width. Flange portions 17 and 18 measure 1 /2 inches along the legs of the triangle and 2% inches along the base. These measurements are not critical but have been found to work well. While two pairs of tongues 35 have been illustrated to form four ring-like engaging means 20, any number of such means can be used, including a single ring-like member which can be roll-formed by hand or machine. Further, while a threaded shank 41 is frictionally engaged well by rings 20, a smooth or roughsurfaced shank can also be used and rings made undersized to securely engage such.

Neither is it necessary that device 10 be made of sheet metal. Any material which is weatherproof and is resilient enough to be bent and to frictionally engage a rod like member can also be employed. A low grade stainless steel, copper or aluminum, as well as their alloys, and resinous plastic materials can thus be utilized. While nailing is the customary and most economical manner of attaching assembly 10 to a roof, it can, if desired, be glued or tarred between shingles.

The preformed nail holes 40 can obviously be dispensed with and nails can be driven through the sheet metal composing flange 12 without such. Drainage holes 30, by being disposed along prewea-kened lines 31, serve to aid in bending flanges 17 and 18 but also are not essential. If desired, smaller perforations can be formed along the entire distance of lines 31.

Two flange portions 17 and 18 with frictional engaging means 20 have been described. It should be understood that while not as effective from a stability standpoint, only one such flange with one or more engaging means can be used if desired.

It will thus be seen that there is now provided a novel wire tie down assembly which is simple in construction and easily manufactured at a minimum cost. The present assembly is quickly installed beneath a shingle, thus affording leakproof installation and without danger of tearing a shingle. No special tools are required for manufacturing the blank from which the assembly is for-med or for installing the formed assembly. It is form-fitted to any type of wire standoff member and yet securely holds it in a perpendicular position with respect to a roof. Neither is there any problem of accumulation of water in the assembly.

The foregoing invention can now be practiced by those skilled in the art. Such skilled persons will know that the invention is not necessarily restricted to the particular embodiments presented herein. The scope of the invention is to be defined by the terms of the following claims as given meaning by the preceding description.

I claim:

1. A leakproof wire tie down and standoff assembly for a shingled roof comprising a first flange portion adapted to fit beneath a shingle, second and third flange portions integral with said first flange portion lying substantially flat and in substantially the same plane as said first flange portion in a first position, but bendable to a plane substantially transverse to said first flange portion in a second position, alternating frictional gripping means spaced on the edges of said second and third flange portions for complementary junction between said second and third flange portions in said second position for securely holding a rod-like standoff member transversely to a roof.

2. The wire tie down and standoff assembly as defined in claim 1 wherein said alternating frictional gripping means are comprised of a plurality of resilient ring-like members.

3. The wire tie down and standoff assembly as defined in claim 1 wherein said alternating frictional gripping means are adapted to receive a threaded shank on said rod-like standoff member.

4. The wire tie down and standoff assembly as defined in claim 1 wherein all of said flanges are for-med of standard sheet metal.

5. The wire tie down and standoff assembly as defiined in claim 1 further including said rod-like member in combination therewith.

6. The wire tie down and standoff assembly as defined in claim 5 wherein said rod-like member has a threaded shank for frictional engagement with said alternating frictional gripping means.

7. A substantially flat plate-like blank for forming a leakproof wire tie down and standoff assembly for a shingled roof comprising a first flange portion adapted to fit beneath a shingle, means integral with said first flange portion to form at least a second flange portion bendable to a plane substantially transverse to said first flange portion and tongue members adapted to form frictional engaging means carried by said means to form at least said second flange portion to securely hold a rod-like standoff member substantially transversely to a roof.

8. A substantially flat plate-like blank for forming a leakproof wire tie down and standoff assembly for a shingled roof comprising a first flange portion adapted to fit beneath a shingle, means integral with said first flange portion to form second and third flange portions bendable to a plane substantially transverse to said first flange portion and tongue members extending outwardly from said second and third flange portions, the base lines of junction of said tongue members with said flange portions forming a V-shaped configuration, said tongue members forming frictional engaging means to securely hold a rod-like standoff member substantially transversely to a roof.

9. A blank for forming a wire tie down and standoff assembly as defined in claim '7 wherein said means to form said second and third flange portions is comprised of integral oppositely disposed triangular portions.

10. A blank for forming a wire tie down and standoff assembly as defined in claim 8 wherein said second and third flange portions are joined to said first flange portion by a V-shaped preweakened line.

11. A blank for forming a wire tie down and standoff assembly as defined in claim 9 wherein apertures are pro-- vided along said preweakened line.

12. A method for forming a blank for subsequent for mation of a wire tie down and standoff assembly from aplate-like member comprising forming at least two oppositely disposed tongue members on said plate-like member with the base lines of said tongue members in a substantially V-shaped configuration and the axis of said tongue members on one leg of said V in transverse alignment with said oppositely disposed tongue members, forming said tongue members in an alternating manner with respect to the oppositely disposed tongue members and providing preweakened lines coextensive with said base lines to form two oppositely disposed triangular flange portions.

13. The method as defined in claim 11 wherein two pairs, of oppositely disposed tongue members are provided.

14. The method as defined in claim 11 further including the formation of said tongue members into ring-like frictional engagement members.

References Cited by the Examiner 5 UNITED STATES PATENTS 964,829 7/1910 Wolf 248-237 2,439,063 4/ 1948 Shur 248-43 2,628,796 2/ 1953 Krizman 248-43 2,735,639 2/ 1956 Gilfry 248-43 10 Schofield. Winsiek. Wallace. Wolbers.

CLAUDE A. LE ROY, Primary Examiner. 

1. A LEAKPROOF WIRE TIE DOWN AND STANDOFF ASSEMBLY FOR A SHINGLED ROOF COMPRISING A FIRST FLANGE PORTION ADAPTED TO FIT BENEATH A SHINGLE, SECOND AND THIRD FLANGE PORTIONS INTEGRAL WITH SAID FIRST FLANGE PORTION LYING SUBSTANTIALLY FLAT AND IN SUBSTANTIALLY THE SAME PLANE AS SAID FIRST FLANGE PORTION IN A FIRST POSITION, BUT BENDABLE TO A PLANE SUBSTANTIALLY TRANSVERSE TO SAID FIRST FLANGE PORTION IN A SECOND POSITION, ALTERNATING FRICTIONAL GRIPPING MEANS 